Grim Portraits: Six Stories About the Dark Side of Art

by Kealan Patrick Burke

What do you see when you look at a painting? The image, the brush strokes, the stippled canvas beneath? What if you looked beyond it? And what do you know about the person who created that picture that's hanging on your wall? They say art requires a certain acceptable degree of madness. What secrets then lie beyond the pigment in the darkness between depiction and delusion?

Herein you'll find stories about self-destructive lovers on a quest to find themselves while getting lost in each other ("Sometimes They See Me"), meet a man who wakes to find himself bound to a chair in a gallery of nightmarish paintings ("The Binding"), discover how one horrific act converts a child's grief into artistic talent in "The Portrait", witness the unveiling of an art collector's most precious and macabre find in "The Acquisition", visit a comic book store with a pair of thieves intent on robbing a man they don't know is expecting them ("The Barbed Lady Wants for Nothing"), and read a roadie's account of a band's final days after they discover "The Amp."

Inspired by Rod Serling's NIGHT GALLERY, GRIM PORTRAITS features six stories of art, madness, and horror by Bram Stoker Award-winning author Kealan Patrick Burke.

Browse at your peril.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Collections, Anthologies, Art, Adult

85 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 11, 2023

About the author

Hailed by Booklist as “one of the most clever and original talents in contemporary horror,” Kealan Patrick Burke was born and raised in Ireland and emigrated to the United States a few weeks before 9/11.

Since then, he has written six novels, among them the popular southern gothic Kin, and over two hundred short stories and novellas, many of which are in various stages of development for film/TV.

A five-time nominee, Burke won the Bram Stoker Award in 2005 for his coming-of-age novella The Turtle Boy, the first book in the acclaimed Timmy Quinn series.

As editor, he helmed the anthologies Night Visions 12, Taverns of the Dead, and Quietly Now, a tribute anthology to one of Burke’s influences, the late Charles L. Grant.

More recently, he wrote the screenplays for Sour Candy (based on his novella), and the remake of the iconic horror film The Changeling (1980), for producer Joel B. Michaels.

He also adapted Sour Candy as a graphic novel for John Carpenter's Night Terrors.

His most recent release is Cottonmouth, a prequel to Kin. The Widows of Winding Gale, a maritime horror novel set in Ireland, is due for release in October as a signed limited edition from Earthling Publications.

Kealan is represented by Merrilee Heifetz at Writers House.

He lives in Ohio with a Scooby Doo lookalike rescue named Red.

Reviews

[Ginger · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/3.5 stars
I would have rated this higher but most of the stories struggled with some of the same issues.

They felt too short and didn't develop more of the creep factor that Kealan Patrick Burke is known for. I do think it's because of the length of the story and not the writing.

Favorites:
The Binding - 5 stars
The Barbed Lady Wants for Nothing - 4 stars

Good but needs to be fleshed out more:
The Amp - 3 stars
The Acquisition - 3.5/4 stars

Lots of promise but got a bit confusing for me at the end:
Sometimes They See Me - 3.5 stars

Huh? Just too strange and also needs more:
Portrait - 2 stars

[Gabrielle (Reading Rampage) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am very late in my Spooktober tradition this year: I have had a crazy fall, and I admit that making my usual pile of creepy books slipped my mind. I am now attempting to make up for lost time.

This recent collection by the great Kealan Patrick Burke lured me in with this fantastically weird cover and theme. Horror about art is not very common, but I usually enjoy it a lot (I’m thinking specifically of Thomas Ligotti’s “Teatro Grotesco” collection, the second half of which focuses specifically on art and artists), and I was excited to read Burke’s take on it.

The first thing I need to say about this book, because this struck me a few pages into the first story, is that Burke’s prose is fantastic. He really is a pleasure to read, because he chooses his words carefully and crafts amazing images and feelings with them. You can see and feel his settings and empathise with his characters. He writes horror, but if he decided to change genres any time soon, I would keep reading his work, because I can’t get enough of his prose.

Like with any collection, I have some favorites and some that I got a little less into, but there are more hits than misses here. Burke knows exactly how to lay a trap for his readers and catch them in their blindside with something weird and unnerving, and if you enjoy good storytelling, horror or not, you will enjoy this man’s work.

Highly recommended for newbies and for fans!

[Brian Bowyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal!

Burke is a master, and all his dazzling skills are on full display in this triumphant collection. I loved all six stories, and "The Acquisition" now ranks as one of the best I have ever read. If you haven't read Burke, GRIM PORTRAITS would be an excellent place to start. Highly recommended!

[Wayne Fenlon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb collection from Kealan Patrick Burke here, and that first story, SOMETIMES THEY SEE ME, battered my heart around like I don't know what. Jeez.
Knock me out in the beginning and you've pretty much got me for the rest of the journey, even if a few fall massively short. Not that this was the case here. Far from it. It sticks to the theme and never flags for a second. A short collection, sure, but with enough variety to feel like there's a lot more. Little twists throughout, moments that catch you off guard, plenty of shocks. Just quality stuff.

Don't let this slip under your radar.

[destiny ♡ howling libraries · Rating 5 out of 5]

As of March 2025, you can find my reviews on…
→ booktube
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→ hardcover
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→ bluesky
→ blog

[Sjgomzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant collection from the man who wrote one of my all time favorite horror collections - The #121 To Pennsylvania And Back. Every story here is creepy and unsettling. The final story- The Amp, was beautifully horrific, and simply perfect. I loved every page!

[Alexander Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of short fiction has succeeded in making me look at art in a different way.

I've always wanted to read more of Kealan Patrick Burke, having read only The Turtle Boy, so I'm happy that I could jump back in with his newest collection. Grim Portraits tackles the topic of art, mostly visual media, but there is a story in here about music. This is the perfect Burke book to try if you've been wanting to dive into his catalogue. The stories range from flowing with great prose, to short and sharp and brutal, one story even in transcript form.

What I said earlier about this collection making me view art differently was the truth: namely the story, The Binding. It gave me such a sense of claustrophobia and dread that I will never look at a painting the same way again. Something similar struck me in the first story, Sometimes They See Me. This was my favourite of the bunch, a perfect story from start to finish with deep characters and an awesome payoff.

Horror. Short stories. The dark mysteries of art. Kealan Patrick Burke. Check it out.

[Lize Du Toit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grim Portraits is a collection of ‘six stories about the dark side of art’, and was inspired by The Night Gallery, a TV series hosted by Rod Serling (you might remember him from The Twilight Zone). The series dished up macabre tales of horror and the supernatural, by unveiling paintings that depicted the stories in each episode. In the same way, each story in Grim Portraits is connected to art in one way or another.

I think what makes this liaison between fiction writing and art so alluring and persuasive, can be chalked up to the mystical power of art to bypass all rationality and tap straight into our lizard brains. Critique and iconographical analysis of art aside – that comes after. What I’m talking about is that initial moment your eyes land on a painting and you find yourself inexplicably drawn to it. As if being transported to some long-forgotten place within yourself. It’s a connection that can’t be fully explained because it’s instinctual and subconscious.

Surrealist paintings in particular, with their strange and dreamlike imagery, have a way of evoking strong emotion – they act as conduits for our deepest unspoken feelings and desires. If you have no idea what I’m drivelling on about, just Google René Magritte, Salvador Dalí or Frida Kahlo. You’ll see what I mean.

In Grim Portraits, @kealanpatrick expertly mobilises exactly this effect. Each story reads like a bizarre dream (or nightmare). Reading it was a visceral and jarring experience that lingered long after the last sentence. It’s a cleverly written, delightfully peculiar collection, wrapped in flawless prose. Wicked perfection.

My personal favourite: Sometimes They See Me. Two strangers’ paths intersect at a pivotal but poignant moment, leading them to a startling truth. I found it both deliciously disturbing and profoundly moving.

Grim Portraits will make the perfect bedside companion this Spooky Season. Or perhaps not. It might leave you feeling rather unsettled instead of sleepy…

[Jesy Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is nothing less than a completely wild ride. Every story is so unexpected and so unusual, each in their own way. What a crazy ride.

[C.J. Daley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author has become a regular during my October TBR for spooky season, and I’m glad I grabbed a paperback to read.

Six short stories all featuring art in some way. ‘Sometimes They See Me,’ the opening story and possibly more of a novelette+, explores what parts of each of us are art itself and where we bleed together. Two self destructive lovers meet on the night they planned to take their lives. Instead, they continue on, intertwined in their reckless abandon, taking in art as if it’s its own mix of drugs.

My favorite short of the collection, ‘The Binding,’ finds a man waking up while bound to a chair. He’s trapped within an art gallery, all the art featuring tortures. This felt almost like the opening of a Saw trap, with the character coming to and having no idea how they got there, but being completely immobile. It starts with disbelief, the man figuring it’s a joke, a prank, or some kind of mistake. But it’s not, and the reveal honestly made me want to write something of my own!

Another of particular enjoyment features a couple thieves intent on robbing a comic book store. While inside, one of the thieves finds a comic seemingly depicting their exact robbery. And while he stands still with the comic, his accomplice is still moving, urging the comic panels on in ‘The Barbed Lady Wants for Nothing.’

The final short, ‘The Amp,’ felt like the otherworldly feels of the band from Jennifer’s Body, but instead of demons, the entity is the musicians amplifier! It plays music that doesn’t match what the guitarist plays, it plays even when stringless, and it’s bringing about something unstoppable.

Another quick, enjoyable, and unique read.

https://fanfiaddict.com/review-grim-p...

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection was just ok for me. The writing was solid as always from Kealan Patrick Burke...but these specific stories just weren't my favorite. Portrait was the stand out story from this collection for me and probably the only one that will be memorable for me.

[Anusha Garimella · Rating 5 out of 5]

love me some kealan. love me some short story collections. kealan’s dazzling writing and storytelling has once again amazed me.

[Kathryn Grace Loves Horror · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kealan Patrick Burke is a master of modern horror, and this short collection features some of his best work.

My favorite story was "The Barbed Lady Wants for Nothing," which felt like a classic Tales From the Crypt episode. Two men robbing a sci-fi/comic book store (awesome setting for a horror story) find they're up against more than just the old man who owns it. When one finds a comic book depicting them robbing the store, he realizes just how much danger they're in. I loved this story! So much fun. Possibly my favorite Burke story I've read yet.

All of the stories in here were uniformly excellent. If you haven't read Burke yet, I recommend starting with this one or his Halloween collection; they're both perfect jumping off points with good examples of his work. I'm officially a major fan.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating 3.6

Sometimes They See Me- 4 stars (buzzwords- obsession, self destruction)
The Binding- 5 stars (buzzwords- captivity, claustrophobia)
Portrait- 3 stars
The Acquisition- 2 stars
The Barbed Lady Wants For Nothing- 4 stars (buzzwords- robbery gone wrong)
The Amp- 4 stars buzzwords- musical madness, interview format)

[Steve Stred · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time Kealan Patrick Burke announces a new release, it feels like an event. A celebration. A gathering of excited Burke-ians who can’t wait to see what creepy, dread-filled nightmares Kealan has conjured and is unleashing on his ever-growing fanbase.

When this one was announced, it was evident this one meant a lot to Kealan. If you’ve followed him on Twitter for any sort of time, you’ll see three constants – hilarity, his dog, and his sharing and appreciation of all things art. The last one there, typically has included him sharing paintings (though I think this was a more common a few years back than currently), and I was always intrigued by the paintings shared, as they always were very different in tone and texture each time.

The foreword to this one is wonderful and creepy and sets the stage for the stories that follow and if you’ve been a fan of Burke’s work for any length of time, I think you’ll know what awaits.

What I liked: This collection featured six stories that all infused the world of art really nicely. It opens with a bang, and one of my favorites – ‘Sometimes They See Me.’ This story felt ‘off’ from the beginning, as a troubled artist connects with another and we get a deftly told paranormal style story that felt so cinematic.

Up next was ‘The Binding,’ which felt as though it was plucked from Clive Barker’s vault itself. A man wakes, completely bound to a bed, unable to move anything expect his eyes and unable to remember much of what happened that led to him being there. The only way I can describe this one is as though you found yourself trapped inside an oven and someone turns it on, the heat rising and increasing until you can no longer handle it. Just amazing.

From there, we get the one-two punch of ‘Portrait’ and ‘The Acquisition.’ Both felt similar and thematically linked, while different enough to have each completely engaging for this reader. I would be hard pressed to choose which one I preferred more, but ‘Portrait’ I think comes out slightly ahead.

Which leads us to my personal favorite in the batch – ‘The Barbed Lady Wants for Nothing.’ Two small-time crooks decide to rob a rare bookstore, knowing that riches await, but things go hideously wrong when one of them discovers a comic book that shouldn’t exist. This was the most ‘Tales From the Crypt’-style story of all of them and I could almost hear Kealan cackling like the Cryptkeeper while reading this.

The collection ends with transcribed story, ‘The Amp,’ which is typically not my style of storytelling I enjoy, but it ripped along and I was whisked away into this ‘interview’ easily enough, making sure I enjoyed how this collection ended.

What I didn’t like: As mentioned, I’m normally not a fan of transcribed type stories, which may dampen some people’s enjoyment of that final piece, but trust me when I say the story told through that interview is a blast.

Additionally, if you’re not typically a fan of reading themed collections or anthologies, this may not be your style, as Kealan makes it quite obvious that this is a collection focused on and based around art.

Why you should buy this: Kealan fans will most likely already have snagged this, but for those who haven’t yet, or who haven’t read Kealan, trust me when I say this is just a phenomenal collection that will grab you quick and not let go. Kealan is a master storyteller – both of short and long fiction – and it’s obvious throughout that he wrote these stories from a place that mattered to him.

Just a fantastic collection by one of the best authors out there.

[Thomas Gloom · Rating 4 out of 5]

🎃Gloom Review🎃

“Art like this was not to be squandered on the uninitiated and would be valueless to ignorant eyes.”

GRIM PORTRAITS is a collection of six short stories that focus on “the dark side of art.” It is a quick, wild ride of a read that delivers exactly what it promises.

I’ve read a handful of Kealan Patrick Burke’s books through the years, but this one has risen to the top. It is the perfect mixture of strange & spooky, with little whispers of flowery prose throughout. I know that term is used by some as derogatory, but as for me, I’m a sucker for lyrical flourishes that allow me to catch my breath after inhaling heavy darkness.

Each of the short stories, though all focused on art, are separate and distinct from each other. The closing tale, “The Amp,” is my favorite, though the preceding story, “The Barbed Lady Wants For Nothing,” is a close second. Both are strange, and flirt with the bizarro-esque literature of Bentley Little.

For fans of Clive Barker, John Langan, and “Pickman’s Model” (Episode 5 from Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities) will find much to love in this creepy and often unnerving collection.

[Missy (myweereads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“…art prevailed because mankind simply could not live without it. Just as creation begets destruction, so too does destruction beget creation.”

Kealan Patrick Burke’s new collection of short stories takes a deep dive into the ideal of what one can see if they look beyond the art. It poses the question of who is behind it. In doing so we are given six deeply disturbing stories.

The stories in this collection are:

📚Sometimes They See Me
📚The Binding
📚Portrait
📚The Acquisition
📚The Barbed Lady Wants For Nothing
📚The Amp

I can honestly say I enjoyed how dark and unsettling each story was. Cover different forms of art, these stores reveal a dark side one would not think to consider. I have certain scenes imprinted in my mind that had me putting this book down for a second before reading on.

A must read for horror fans, I knew I was going to love this collection of messed up stories and I definitely did.

[Delia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dear God, what did I just read?
This was my first thought after finishing the first story in this new collection, Grim Portraits. This, and a bunch of other words I can't really write but I'm sure you can imagine.

"Sometimes They See Me" is the perfect horror - desperate, intense, haunting and deeply emotional, it left me hollow and in need of a break. I loved it but I really needed some chocolate ice cream after that.

The rest of the stories I found not as intense and perhaps that is a good thing. I kept thinking of The Portrait of Dorian Gray and wondered if a different person stares back at us every time we read horror.
Art is powerful. Good art is powerful. Some stories open the door into another world. This is one of them.


"We should be compensated fairly for our passions, shouldn't we? And if the world deems art should be free, then I propose that so too should living."

[Jason Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find Kealan Patrick Burke to be a bit hit or miss. This is a very slim collection of horror stories based around the arts (mostly in the painting vein, but also including music); I really found the first story, which is the longest, to also be the weakest: an interesting ending with a prolonged narrative about two suicidal and burnt out lovers who were tragic, but not overly interesting. The other stories, which are very short, are much better. One or two of them border on greatness. If you have enjoyed Burke’s other works, you know what you are getting yourself into here; wouldn’t recommend this collection as a starting point (I would recommend his Timmy Quinn stories instead), but if you are into dark horror with some surprising depth and symbolism - “The Acquisition” from this collection is really staying with me - you could do much worse than Burke.

[Sharron Joy Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Six short stories walking through the dark side of art. Art soaked in horror, grief, addiction, confinement, madness and death.

There’s the loss of self in addiction, a man bound in a gallery, a child becomes art, a collector finally understands what the painting means, a robbery goes awry and a rock band’s path to destruction.

Each a window into the darkness of the arts, the soul sucking angst and the horror. Beautiful prose, short sharp stories, perfectly crafted macabre tales of the danger of losing yourself in obsession.

The Acquisition was my favourite, it felt like gothic literature which is my favourite genre of horror. Kealan never disappoints, these are just a joy to read, a twisted unhinged joy of course but that’s the best kind!

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

What another incredible book from Kealan Patrick Burke.

If you're a fan of Night Gallery,and The Twilight Zone, then this is for you. Burke is heavily influenced by Rod Serling, and I love it! I also really enjoy art. I have a few favorite painting myself. But you're not here to read about my take on art. Lets get to the good stuff.

This is a collection of six short stories. Each one is uniquely crafted for your enjoyment. The stories are short, so if you can read the whole thing in a sitting, or even if you only have a little time to spare, you'll be sure to get a good fright with these dark stories.

[Mommacat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you remember the tv show Night Gallery? If not, it was Ann anthology show by Rod Serling that opened with Rod standing in front of a painting as the opening to a creepy story.

Well, GRIM PORTRAITS is KPB's homage to Master Serling. And homage it is. Six stories to creep you out. I have never read anything Kealan has written that I haven't loved. GRIM PORTRAITS is no different. It's novella length, so give over your evening to this Irishman and enjoy. Highly recommended.

[Ashli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Six stories about the dark side of art

The Introduction into this book was perfect. It gives you a small glimpse into the inspiration of this book and had me hooked with a real life experience the author had.

KPB has a magical ability to make me feel like I just had a very vivid fever dream and I love it.

Out of the six stories I think The Barbed Lady Wants For Nothing and The Amp were my favourites. However, they are all fantastically spooky.

[Bryan Whitehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

As mentioned in the introduction, these stories have a strong Night Gallery feel to them. Indeed, except for the sex and violence, all six of these would have been right at home in Rod Serling’s lesser-known follow-up to The Twilight Zone. Kealan Patrick Burke’s stories are clever and don’t overstay their welcome. Unlike many collections and anthologies I’ve read in the past, I would actually have liked this one to be longer.

[J.R. Santos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very fun read, very creative.
My favorite is "the acquisition", very well executed. Would love seeing it adapted for a future Del Toro horror anthology type movie show.

The Barbed Lady Wants for Nothing feels like a Terrarium (a Portuguese sci Fi novel) type story, but kept at the right length to avoid overdoing itself.

[Josh reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this collection of stories by Kealan Patrick Burke, the homage to Rod Serling’s Night Gallery and the premise concerning the dark side of art was quite intriguing. Stand out stories from this collection for me were Sometimes The See Me and The Barbed Lady Wants for Nothing. These stories would be a fun read anytime of the year but especially now as we get closer to Halloween.

[Ashly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I swear everything this man writes is perfection. This collection of short stories was a perfect way to begin the countdown to Halloween! 🎃 KPB has a way of telling stories that will last you a lifetime in only a few pages. These stories will haunt me, in the best way possible. And honestly I'll be looking at art a little more suspiciously from now on.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

The majority of the stories didn’t do it for me, but the last two and the introduction were awesome! I don’t usually read introductions, but this one caught my eye. I was contemplating on DNFing, but I’m glad I didn’t! The read was entirely worth it for those last two stories. Not the strongest grouping, but still a good, original collection.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of short horror stories related to art. There are some really cool, unique ideas explored in these! Some of the stories I just wanted more exploration from. The opening story “Sometimes They See Me” and “Portrait” were my favorites in this collection. Would like to read more from this author in the future, for sure. He writes very effective short form horror.

[Risshan Adele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark art

Each of these stories are so unique. None of them are alike, yet they are all connected via the theme of art. Beautifully written, and deep for short stories. A touch of sad, a drop of creepy, all blended together to form his own art. Love it!